My average rating for this year was lower than the last couple of years, but I think my actual enjoyment went up. I zipped through most of the Campers and Criminals series by [a:Tonya Kappes|4423580|Tonya Kappes|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1595524752p2/4423580.jpg], and despite only giving them three stars each, they were fantastic escapes from reality. I enjoyed them and look forward to however many more she writes.

I reread [a:John Updike|6878|John Updike|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1419249254p2/6878.jpg]'s [b:S.|98110|S.|John Updike|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1380492331l/98110._SX50_.jpg|94568] for the umpteenth time, but this time along with a friend who is very familiar with that world. While I have always viewed this book as one (very out of the norm for Updike) about the power of a woman, my friend made me also see the value in some of what the wack jobs in the book were offering. Minus the embezzling and thievery, of course! We also discovered the docu-series on Netflix about this very commune. It was an all around treat!

I made my way through the entire [b:The Boys, Volume 1: The Name of the Game|1214485|The Boys, Volume 1 The Name of the Game|Garth Ennis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1224646048l/1214485._SY75_.jpg|2642984] by [a:Garth Ennis|14965|Garth Ennis|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1242438038p2/14965.jpg], [b:Sweet Tooth, Volume 1: Out of the Deep Woods|6954438|Sweet Tooth, Volume 1 Out of the Deep Woods|Jeff Lemire|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1406510539l/6954438._SY75_.jpg|7189635] by [a:Jeff Lemire|543719|Jeff Lemire|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1568921362p2/543719.jpg], [b:Paper Girls, Volume 1|28204534|Paper Girls, Volume 1|Brian K. Vaughan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1656764541l/28204534._SY75_.jpg|49449510] by [a:Brian K. Vaughan|24514|Brian K. Vaughan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1557530189p2/24514.jpg] and the new issues of [b:Saga, Volume 1|15704307|Saga, Volume 1|Brian K. Vaughan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1486028947l/15704307._SY75_.jpg|19113524] by him as well. While I didn't fall in love with either the comics or the Amazon series, I am always happy to get more Vaughan. He is a staple on my shelves!

I fell in love with [b:The Magicians|6101718|The Magicians (The Magicians, #1)|Lev Grossman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1313772941l/6101718._SY75_.jpg|6278977] by [a:Lev Grossman|142270|Lev Grossman|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1386343699p2/142270.jpg] a few years ago and got the treat of his newest, [b:The Silver Arrow|50358143|The Silver Arrow (The Silver Arrow, #1)|Lev Grossman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1598245001l/50358143._SX50_.jpg|75183810] this year. His writing is always sublime and I am ever on the lookout for his newest!

My beloved [a:Stephen King|3389|Stephen King|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1362814142p2/3389.jpg] gave me THREE books this year! [b:Billy Summers|56852407|Billy Summers|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618151020l/56852407._SY75_.jpg|88930370], [b:Gwendy's Final Task|59366265|Gwendy's Final Task|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1651710894l/59366265._SY75_.jpg|90438783] with [a:Richard Chizmar|20887189|Richard Chizmar|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [b:Fairy Tale|60177373|Fairy Tale|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1647789287l/60177373._SY75_.jpg|94912019]. [a:Richard Chizmar|20887189|Richard Chizmar|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] also surprised me with [b:Chasing the Boogeyman|55711747|Chasing the Boogeyman|Richard Chizmar|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1626009186l/55711747._SY75_.jpg|86884160] which was a homerun. I can hardly expect more than three a year from King, so this was a banner year in that regard!

I discovered [a:Sally Rooney|15860970|Sally Rooney|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1534007127p2/15860970.jpg] this year and very quickly devoured [b:Normal People|41057294|Normal People|Sally Rooney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1571423190l/41057294._SY75_.jpg|59141209], [b:Beautiful World, Where Are You|56597885|Beautiful World, Where Are You|Sally Rooney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1618329605l/56597885._SY75_.jpg|88516904], and [b:Conversations with Friends|32187419|Conversations with Friends|Sally Rooney|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1638729263l/32187419._SY75_.jpg|52827120]. Added bonus were the two television series based on her books. Why did it take me so long?

I read quite a few thrillers, [b:The Maid|55196813|The Maid|Nita Prose|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1643228739l/55196813._SY75_.jpg|86048177] by [a:Nita Prose|20650250|Nita Prose|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1619360173p2/20650250.jpg], [b:Eight Perfect Murders|52225186|Eight Perfect Murders|Peter Swanson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562582942l/52225186._SX50_SY75_.jpg|71665754] by [a:Peter Swanson|7142445|Peter Swanson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1506083984p2/7142445.jpg], and [b:The Last House on Needless Street|54621094|The Last House on Needless Street|Catriona Ward|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1603323638l/54621094._SY75_.jpg|85222103] by [a:Catriona Ward|13801540|Catriona Ward|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1438105097p2/13801540.jpg] being my favorites, but there were so many good ones.

I fell in book love with [b:Bones & All|21570066|Bones & All|Camille DeAngelis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1426128162l/21570066._SY75_.jpg|40902521] by [a:Camille DeAngelis|317741|Camille DeAngelis|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1418958395p2/317741.jpg]. It was beautiful writing and spoke to my heart in a way that just tore me up. Same thing with the movie, despite most people thinking it was awful. This will be a reread for me in the years to come because I think we all need reminding, on occasion, of what it means to be "the other" no matter what form that otherness takes.

I could recap with so many other books, but I'll stop here. It was a very good year of reading indeed.

★★★★★
- the silence of the girls (Mar 6—Mar 11)
- the once and future witches (May 28—Jun 11)
- this is how you lose the time war (Sep 24—Sep 26)
- the seven husbands of evelyn hugo (Sep 28—Oct 2)
- scythe (Nov 23—Nov 24)
- thunderhead (Nov 26—Dec 2)
- the toll (Dec 2—Dec 4)
- violet bent backwards over the grass (Dec 7)

★★★★
- ariadne (Dec 27—Jan 12)
- the penelopiad (Mar 5)
- the testaments (May 2—May 9)
- my dearest darkest (May 24—May 27)
- divergent (Jul 11—Jul 21)
- i’m a therapist, and my patient is going to be the next school shooter (Aug 3)
- i’m a therapist, and my patient is in love with a pedophile (Aug 3)
- malice (Jul 22—Aug 6)
- midnight sun (Aug 1—Aug 28)
- americanah (Oct 31—Nov 7)

★★★
- these violent delights (Jan 13—Jun 13)
- i’m a therapist, and my patient is a vegan terrorist (Aug 4—Aug 5)
- five star billionaire (Aug 29—Sep 12)
- how to get filthy rich in rising asia (Sep 14—Sep 21)
- the white tiger (Oct 17—Oct 26)
- forensic psychology (Aug 29—Dec 13)

January: 1 book
February: 0 books
March: 2 books
April: 0 books
May: 2 books
June: 2 books
July: 1 book
August: 5 books
September: 3 books
October: 2 books
November: 2 books
December: 4 books
————————————
Total: 24 books

Rereads:
- divergent
- this is how you lose the time war
- the seven husbands of evelyn hugo
- scythe
- thunderhead
- the toll

Well, I got reacquainted with reading fiction for really the first time in my adulthood, and 56 books may very well be the most I ever read in a year. So why not do a little thingy and list my faves - the books that made me think 'ok yes this is why I read'. I'll generally spare the plot summaries since they can easily be found on the books' web pages, and focus more on my own feelings.
My favorites ranked-ish:

Come Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant: This is now my favorite book of all time and my go-to comfort read. It is, to quote my SO, "like Cream of Wheat for the soul", and I would recommend it to literally anyone. It may sound like YA from reading the plot synopsis, but it isn't. I want to go door-to-door and offer 'the word of Jessica Grant' to my friends and neighbors. I love it that much. I have never laughed out loud more while reading a book, and I would sometimes find myself hugging the book to my chest. Unlike what I usually gravitate toward, this book is wholesome, endearing, and ultimately about the power of found family (to me anyway). The world building is amazing. The focus is really on the characters and humor at first, but the subtle plot points start to emerge and create a quaint little mystery of the MC's life. I plan to re-read the shit out of this throughout the duration of my lifetime.

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller: Yes this one is difficult to get immersed in at first, but as I (finally after years) stuck with it, the reward was magnificent. I always knew I'd like the absurdism, humor, and satire aspects, but the things I loved about this book that surprised me came from what I came to see as the brilliant, unique storytelling structure and the interesting approach to the character development of the protagonist. The way it starts, we think we understand Yossarian, but we come to empathize with him and attribute what we think we know about him more and more to his situation. Every plot component is in exactly the right non-linear spot like a brilliantly conceived and exquisite puzzle. This one will also reward re-reads.

Negative Space by B.R. Yeager So if 'Come Thou Tortoise is one that I can recommend to everyone I know, 'Negative Space' is the book that I could recommend to almost no one I know lol. Horror is my go-to genre. This is the only book that has ever scared me. There are books that creep us out, gross us out, disturb us, but this book fucking scared me. It was the equivalent of me peeking through my fingers during a movie. I almost put it down because it was such an onslaught of awful, but it was also good and so I kept going and didn't regret it. There was a sliver of light or two that kept this from being pure misery and expanded it into a mysterious and interesting landscape. It is kind of like a Larry Clark movie about the most disaffected youth you can imagine, infused with some of the best cosmic horror I've ever come across.

Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo Now back to our regularly programmed non-niche reading. Stay With Me was my favorite 'mystery/thriller' of the year, even though it isn't marketed that way (and perhaps that's why it was so successful at blindsiding me). I was so impressed at the pacing of this debut novel and how it was able to pull more of a punch than most books in such a short time (I believe this is under 300 pages). I already liked the premise of a monogamous Nigerian couple trying to navigate the familial and societal pressures of a polygamous culture. It delivered even more than I could have hoped.

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell The premise is tailor-made for me: "In 2019, humanity finally finds proof of extraterrestrial life when a listening post in Puerto Rico picks up exquisite singing from a planet that will come to be known as Rakhat. While United Nations diplomats endlessly debate a possible first contact mission, the Society of Jesus quietly organizes an eight-person scientific expedition of its own. What the Jesuits find is a world so beyond comprehension that it will lead them to question what it means to be "human".
This novel had perhaps the best writing and characters that I have ever come across. I felt that the end was a little rushed but this is likely due to the fact that there is a sequel that elaborates more on what happened. I haven't read the sequel yet but probably will one day. Also, this book is about Jesuits but it is not Christian Fiction. It gets a little freaky.

Earthlings by Sayaka Murata I don't want to say much about this one because it is best to go in blind! It isn't one that I was so enthralled with during the journey, but one that when it was all said and done, I was still thinking about days after I finished it. Content warning for sexual/child abuse.

Honorable Mentions/favorite non-fiction:
Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana (extreme horror)
Russian Journal by Andrea Lee (non-fiction)
Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse (non-fiction)
The Twilight World by Werner Herzog (non-fiction with flourish)

I read 25,166 pages across 75 books


FICTION HIGHLIGHTS
Plain Bad Heroines
Karitas Untitled
Swansong
Young Mungo
Small Things Like These
Milkman
The Second Cut
The Starless Sea
The Saint of Lost Things
The Love Songs of W.E.B de Bois
The Pisece
Trespasses
The Van Apfel Girls are Gone

NON FICTION (inc memoir) HIGHLIGHTS
Maggie and Me
Empire of Pain
White Fragility

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really only cared about hitting my reading challenge goal of 2022 with was 150 books. I smashed that by reading almost 100 more. I am a bit bummed with myself for not sticking to the 52 Book Challenge. However, it's more difficult to complete a challenge like that when you read mostly ARCs from NetGalley.

2022 in review

This year has been great. I completed my reading goal and participated in different challenges that forced me to step out of my comfort zone. For next year, I'd like to further diversify my reading and write better reviews :)

✦ 57 books read
✦ 15399 pages read
✦ 4.3 average rating

Favourite Reads of the Year:
[bc:The Night Circus|9361589|The Night Circus|Erin Morgenstern|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387124618l/9361589._SY75_.jpg|14245059] [bc:The Perks of Being a Wallflower|22628|The Perks of Being a Wallflower|Stephen Chbosky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1650033115l/22628._SX50_.jpg|2236198] [bc:The Orange Girl|25403|The Orange Girl|Jostein Gaarder|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1415583796l/25403._SY75_.jpg|1015565] [bc:The Ghost Woods|60567943|The Ghost Woods|C.J. Cooke|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660242096l/60567943._SY75_.jpg|95462795][bc:Vicious|40874032|Vicious (Villains, #1)|V.E. Schwab|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1670752670l/40874032._SY75_.jpg|19250870]

Honourable Mentions:
[bc:The Song of Achilles|13623848|The Song of Achilles|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357177533l/13623848._SY75_.jpg|16176791] [bc:A Man Called Ove|18774964|A Man Called Ove|Fredrik Backman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405259930l/18774964._SY75_.jpg|21619954] [bc:The Gods Lie|26025704|The Gods Lie|Kaori Ozaki|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1455504547l/26025704._SX50_.jpg|55139925]

Disappointing Reads:
[bc:Blood Stained Tea|33152873|Blood Stained Tea (The Yakuza Path, #1)|Amy Tasukada|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1480461236l/33152873._SY75_.jpg|53843270] [bc:Caraval|27883214|Caraval (Caraval, #1)|Stephanie Garber|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1465563623l/27883214._SY75_.jpg|45697227] [bc:The Sun and Her Flowers|35606560|The Sun and Her Flowers|Rupi Kaur|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1499791446l/35606560._SY75_.jpg|57044162]

This is the year I read the most books. 236. I tried to cover all genres, even the ones I don’t like to try to break out of the mould. Avg 3.1.

Reading Aims 2022

25 books target (less than last year but I have less time now!)

Series I Want to Read:
Caraval - Completed April 2022
The Folk of the Air
Stalking Jack the Ripper

January Wrap Up
Archenemies (Renegades #2) by Marissa Meyer - 4 stars
Supernova (Renegades #3) by Marissa Meyer - 5 stars
Wake (Watersong #1) by Amanda Hocking - 3 stars
Lullaby (Watersong #2) by Amanda Hocking - 3.5 stars
Two for Joy (The Magpie Society #2) by Zoe Sugg and Amy McCulloch -3.5 stars
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - 4 stars

February Wrap Up
House of Earth and Blood (CC #1) by Sarah J Maas - 5 stars (re-read)
House of Sky and Breath (CC #2) by Sarah J Maas - 4.5 stars
Gilded Cage (Dark Gifts #1) by Vic James - 3.5 stars

March Wrap Up
Tarnished City (Dark Gifts #2) by Vic James - 3.5 stars
The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - 4 stars
The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - 4 stars
Bright Ruin (Dark Gifts #3) by Vic James - 4 stars

April Wrap Up
The Witchling's Girl by Helena Coggan - 4 stars
Caraval (Caraval #1) by Stephanie Garber - 4.5 stars
Legendary (Caraval #2) by Stephanie Garber - 4 stars
Finale (Caraval #3) by Stephanie Garber - 4 stars
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven - DNF

May Wrap Up
Blood, Metal, Bone by Lindsay Cummins - 3 stars

June Wrap Up
You Against Me by Jenny Downham - 4 stars

July Wrap Up
slump

August Wrap Up
Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson - 4 stars
Bully (Fall Away #1) by Penelope Douglas - 3.5 stars
The Key to Fear (The Key #1) by Kristen Cast - 3.5 stars

September Wrap Up
The Flatshare (The Flatshare #1) by Beth O'Leary - 4 stars
Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M McManus - 3.5 stars
The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games #3) by Jennifer Lynne Barnes - 4.5 stars

October Wrap Up
The Queen of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen - 3.5 stars
The Invasion of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen - 4 stars

November Wrap Up
Too busy to read

December Wrap Up
The Fate of the Tearling (The Queen of the Tearling #1) by Erika Johansen - 4 stars
November 9 by Colleen Hoover - 3.5 stars

I'm no longer interested in reading a significant number of books this year — hopefully it's going to be my mindset for the following years too. From now on I'll be living life, gathering experiences, in order to get a better understanding of literature.

***

really goofy year ngl


Apparently i messed the years